Zara Tours

Woman owned; very professional; excellent English speaking guide (John); Zara gives back to its community by offering English classes and other training to employees, and also supports various conservation efforts in Tanzania.

unforgettable week

My family and I have just recently finished a 7-day safari with your agency. We were accompanied the entire time by your staff member, Mr. Baraka Sospeter. And Mr. Cessey (Casey??) was our driver.
From the moment of our arrival to the time of our departure both of these men were constantly concerned for our comfort and well-being as well as committed to fulfilling all our wishes. Using his exceptional command of the German language and his extensive knowledge, Mr. Sospeter presented us much information about the land and its people. He was always courteous, polite and punctual, was always in a cheerful mood, and above all was always professional and thorough concerning our safety.
Mr. Cessey (Casey??), with his perfect knowledge of the area, was an ideal match and complement. At no time did we ever have the feeling he was not in total control of the situation or that he had put us in danger.
Lastly, although the Christmas celebrations fell in this period, both men never seemed tired or distracted.

The adventurous route

We took the Rongai route because we liked the idea of being on the trail less traveled. We loved having plenty of space to be on our own but still have people around to socialize with. Our Zara guides were incredibly helpful, kind, generous, and good humored. When we got to Kibo camp and saw the cabin dwellers with the proper mattresses to sleep on, we felt a little envious but I'm absolutely not sorry that we chose the adventurous route. I had a lot of trouble with altitude symptoms, but our guide was very attentive. My fiancé and I both made it to the top, but I really struggled. Our guide, assistant, guide, and our book came up with us to keep me safe and sang a jaunty song to me to motivate me all the way to the top. We had a positively memorable experience, and the Zara guides could not have been any better to us!

Excellent Guide, Poor Administrative Services & Communication

I booked a five-day safari tour of Northern Tanzania through Zara Tours in early August. The tour itself was an incredible experience. Our guide, Regan, was knowledgeable, and we learned a lot of about the animals living in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater.

Unfortunately, there was some poor communication with the administrative staff of Zara Tours. We booked our trip before June 30, 2017 and at the time there was a promotional deal going on which stated that if were booked before 6/30/2017, our airport transfers would be included our package. The salesperson we were communicating with, Kitondo, also confirmed this via email. I also doubled checked when we arrived to the Springlands Hotel with a female staffer that our airport transfers were included. She said yes. After we completed our safari tour, we came back to the Springlands Hotel and I once again confirmed the night before our departure with another female staffer that our airport transfer the next day was included in the package we purchased. She said yes. The morning of our departure, there was a male staffer at the front desk who helped us check out of the hotel. He told us that we owed $60 USD for the previous airport transfer (from airport to hotel) and we would have to pay an additional $60 USD if we wanted to be driven to the airport. We tried to explain to him that the package with bought included airport transfers. He said Kitondo had told him it wasn't included. He allegedly called Kitondo and spoke in Swahili with her on the phone while we watched. At the end of the phone call he said that she said our package did not include transfers. Instead of arguing with this man, we decided to pay the money for the prior transfer were had taken and take a taxi to the airport (which was much cheaper).

I later looked up our package online and looked up emails with Kitondo and I called this male staffer. I was very upset and told him that I had proof that airport transfers were included. I told him I could come back to the hotel (our flight didn't leave until late at night) so he could return our money. He said that he had to "check with someone first" and that he would call me back. I gave him my phone number. He never called me back. I am convinced this was a scam on this man's part because he was upset that we had not bought anything at the hotel. My sister had been living in Moshi for 3 months prior to this safari trip so she knew taxi drivers and was familiar with the area. So instead of purchasing dinner or drinks at the hotel, we venture outside. Therefore, we had no hotel bill to settle.

If I were to do this over again, I would get everything in detailed writing and print out copies of the terms of the agreement. I would also write down names of the staffers. Ultimately, it was not the money that was an issue but rather the unprofessional nature of this exchange.

Other issues
We had travelers with dietary restrictions on our trip. For the most part, these were accommodated well but there were a few times when we could only eat rice and pasta. I recommend bringing your own snacks just in case. Breakfast and dinner options are decent but the "lunch boxes" are not great. You may want to pack your own snacks for lunch.

The five day safari felt a little long. I would recommend something a little shorter, maybe 4 days. It's gets very tiring to be in a bumpy car for 8-10 hours each day.

I highly recommend staying in one of the wild camps. It was an amazing experience to be in a tent in the middle of the Serengeti and wake up to gazelles outside.

Amazing Tanzania Adventure

A huge vote of thanks goes to Zara Tours and our fantastic guide Madeal for a wonderful trip in Tanzania. Communication with Zara was smooth all the way. Madeal went above and beyond to ensure we were comfortable and also saw all the animals we had hoped for. The safari was well planned starting from Lake Manyara National Park, followed by Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. Madeal was knowledgeable as he had an answer for every question. Accommodation at Zara properties was wonderful in nice clean facilities and welcoming staffs. We highly recommend Zara Tours and ask for Madeal to be your guide.

Absolutely Fantastic

Our December trip with Zara Tours was absolutely fantastic and worth every penny. Spectacular game drives, swanky comfortable 4x4 driven by an expert guide (Musa) and accommodation at their beautiful and crisp lodges located right inside Ngorongoro and Serengeti.
I found no fault in the itinerary as it was well planned with interesting activities the highlight being the game drives. We loved Serengeti the most probably because that's where we spent more time exploring the expansive park. Each day Musa took us to different places for a different experience.

Expectations exceeded

We went on a 6 day safari to Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Lake Manyara with guide/driver Joseph. He is an expert driver and very good company, with also a good radar of when to provide information and when to Just let you enjoy the moment. The car was super, routes perfect and hotels better than expected, with Ikoma Wildcamp as absolute best.

Fantastic Dream African Safari

I do not have the words to describe our Tanzania trip with Zara Tours as it was an epic adventure!
Everything that could go well, actually did and in the end the 7 days of safari we did not want to leave.
We had a perfect guide – Shaban. He was very knowledgeable and professional all through the trip. He took the time to answer all our questions and shared much more drawn from his many experiences in the bush. We appreciate his skill in spotting wild game, because he was always the first one to point out where the animals were.
We visited all the places (parks/museums/schools…) in the itinerary and even had time to shop for gifts in Arusha before our flight out.
Accommodation spots selected by Zara were very nice with just the right mix of relaxation and comfort that one would desire in a safari.
I highly recommend Zara Tours

Exceptionally Good! Forever Etched in My Mind

The wonderful experiences in Tanzania are forever etched in my mind. This is exactly what me and and my partner were looking for.
Experience the wild African bush with an expert guide and then retire in top class lodges in the evenings.
Communication with Mike from reservations was smooth , payments (deposit/final payment) handled with professionalism.
This was a wonderful trip and we are very happy with how everything turned out.
We took lots of photos and I am still sifting them, will be sharing some of our best shots in my update.

Thank you all for such a wonderful safari in Tanzania

Memories made in Tanzania

I have to thank the whole team at Zara Tours for a holiday well planned and perfectly executed by Issa our guide. We did a Zara Serengeti exclusive safari shuttling between Ikoma Wildcamp and Serengeti Safari Lodge (Both Zara Properties)
We had more time to experience Serengeti more intensively as it is a huge park and well endowed with a wide variety of flora and fauna.
The lodges were super-fantastic; a lovely pool and club house at SSL with enchanting cabins. Food was mainly served at the main area however the manager organized for a candlelit dinner at the terrace of our cabin on my wife's birthday.
There are too many nice moments to pen down.
SUPER-FANTASTIC